Ottawa Foodies

My husband and I have been getting tourtieres made by Les Fougeres for 3 years now. They are still sold at CA Paradis...just got some last month...but I believe they are only sold for a couple months at the beginning of winter (?start selling them in Dec).

They have a wide variety and changes a bit each year though they have some that are 'regular'. We usually get about 5-10 in Dec before the holidays and put them in the freezer. One year we hosted a Dec 24th party for 20 some people. We put out 4 different types (2 of each) and they were a hit. Great for impromptu gueats or just a nice dinner on a cold wintery day. They serve 6 small or 5 large portions.

The caribou is without a doubt the favorite every time. I serve it with a cranberry sauce with some spices (ginger, nutmeg), OJ, and lemon juice mixed in like a cumberland sauce. I usually have wild rice or egg noodles with it and some great veggies and the meal is soooo Canadian:)

They are not 'deep dish' type tourtieres but more of a gourmet style. The trick to them is also to serve with a good sauce. Most tourtieres need some type of sauce. I really like to use peach chutney(Loblaws sells a good one), or mushroom sauce.

Before I stepped inside the restaurant, I went to check their store right next to the restaurant. I wanted to try their Tourtières. Originally, I picked up their chicken Tourtières ($15 per box). But then I asked their staff what their best seller was. She told me that their duck and caribou tourtières were their best sellers. So, I put the chicken tourtières back to the freezer and bought the duck tourtières instead.

When I went home, I put the whole box in the fridge's bottom rack to defrost for next day baking. Basically, I baked the pie in the oven at 350 degree for 20 minutes (as per instruction). When I checked it out, the crust was not brown yet. So, I added another 20 minutes. I guess that their instruction must be written based on their restaurant oven and not residential oven.

I cut the pie and asked my younger son to try it out for lunch first. I was surprised to see that the duck meat inside was only minced meat blended in together (not meat in chunk or cubes). It looked pretty dry to me. My younger son told me that the pie was okay. I asked him if he wanted another one. He told me “no, thanks”. He asked me if he can have the instant Kimchi Noodles bowl instead (those I bought from Costco).

I also let my elder son’s girl friend to try the duck tourtière. She has a very good taste bud (under the influence of her dad; her dad is a chef in the east coast). She told me that the pie tasted okay. But I asked her if she wanted more and her answer was the same as my son “no, thanks”. Instead, she ate the congee I made for lunch.

My husband and I didn’t feel like eating the pie since we were too full already. So, I wrapped the pie with Sarah wrap and put the pie in my fridge. My husband tried it out next day and he told me that the pie was okay, but nothing special.

I haven’t been able to find any place that can make pie equivalent to those Aussie pies. I missed the meat pie I ate in Australia. They were so good! Can any Australian foodies here tell me where I can find Aussie pie in Ottawa?

If you want the local version, Les Fougeres sells frozen tortieres that are great.

They have been available in the past at C.A. Paradis on Bank St.; haven't been there recently, so don't know if that's still the case.

I recall this being a reasonably satisfying version -- though my tourtière experiences include only 5-10 sources. They sell it by the slice, but I bought the whole pie for some fairly extortionate price.

From a quest for great Tourtière by "seanchaidh" on LiveJournal (community.livejournal.com):

"So far, so good. Both myself and my Acadian roommate are enjoying it; it reminds my roomie of her grandmother's tourtiere."